Hand skin peeling due to friction is a thing which normal and can be handled with simple steps. But pthere is a certain condition that should be wary of, peeling hand skin can be used as a penanda to symptoms of a serious illness.
As the outermost part of the body, from day to day the skin is exposed to many things, such as sunlight, wind, heat, humidity, to dryness. This exposure can cause repeated irritations that can cause the skin, including the skin on the hands, to peel.
Peeling skin on hands, also known as desquamation, naturally occurs when keratinocytes slough off involuntarily after more than two weeks. Normally this happens without us realizing it. However, the skin can also peel from being too dry or too long in the sun. This condition usually subsides on its own or with treatment with over-the-counter products.
There are several things that can be done if the skin on your hands peels is not due to disease.
- Apply sesame oil or wheat germ oil on the peeling skin area after washing the area with water. Gently massage the peeling area. Both types of oil contain tocopherols, tocotrienols, and vitamin E which can moisturize the skin surface. Leave the oil for about an hour, then wash off with water.
- Tea bag. Tea contains tannic acid catechins which help repair damaged skin. Apply a wet tea bag on the surface of the peeling skin of the hands until the tea content enters the skin pores and stimulates the growth of new skin cells.
- Some fruits contain cyanidin, pelargonidin, and anthocyanins which have antioxidant properties and enzymes to repair damaged skin proteins. You can try rubbing pieces of fruit, such as apples, bananas, strawberries, or blackberries on the peeling skin of your hands.
- Apply an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment to treat peeling hands caused by a bacterial infection.
- Use sunscreen every six hours to help reduce the risk of sun damage on the skin of your hands that are peeling when you are outside.
Peeling Hand Skin Due to Disease
However, there are times when the skin on the hands peels off accompanied by other symptoms, such as dry skin, itching, irritation, to a red rash. Peeling skin on the hands can be a sign of disease, immune system disorders, to direct damage to the skin from infection or burns. This situation generally results in the accidental loss or destruction of the top layer of skin (epidermis).
Here are some possible diseases that can cause the skin to peel off, including:
- Cancer disease (including the effects of cancer treatments).
- Immune system disorders.
- Infections, such as fungal infections and some types of staphylococci.
- Genetic diseases, such as acral sloughing syndrome.
- Contact dermatitis.
- Dry skin.
- Athlete's foot.
- Atopic dermatitis.
- Hyperhidrosis.
- psoriasis.
- Scarlet fever.
- Roundworm infection.
- Steven-Johnson syndrome.
- syndrome shock poisonous.
- Radiation.
- Kawasaki disease.
Peeling of the skin on the hands can also be caused by a side effect of medications. One of them is the use of retinoid drugs commonly used to treat acne. Immediately consult a doctor if the skin peeling of the hands occurs continuously and/or accompanied by other symptoms that are worrying.